Etna Excursion Path Back of the Donkey

Patrick Brydone in a 1770 epistolary novel sent to William Beckford of Somerley describes the rise of the volcano. "The forests of Mount Etna had remained behind us, and now appeared as a dark and gloomy abyss that surrounded the mountain at our feet. The view before us was of a very different nature; such an expanse of snow and ice could be seen that we were greatly alarmed. At the center, but still at a great distance, you could see the top of the mountain erect the proud head and spew torrents of smoke [...] the whole atmosphere gradually began to light up, letting you glimpse just the vague details of a boundless panorama, Sea and land were dark and confused, as if they were emerging then from the original chaos, [ ... Everything is enchanted, and we find it hard to believe that we are still on earth ...".